The Years That Followed
by rejay
Summary: The nineteen year gap is a story simply waiting to be written. I'm trying my hand at writing that story. Because you never stop growing up. Those nineteen years and beyond are the focus of this story.
1. 1999 - Part 1

Harry Potter had become the most famous wizard in the world the night Lord Voldemort had attempted to murder him. He had never been one for revenge in particular, but it was the morning of May the second, 1998, that he became not only famous, but beloved; that was the morning he killed Lord Voldemort.

Ron Weasley had never expected much from his life: the youngest of six successful brothers and senior only to his younger sister, he had known from an early age that his life would always be overshadowed by someone else's. When he was eleven years old, he met Harry Potter, who was startlingly humble and had befriended Ron instantaneously. Ron became a hero in his own right on the second day of May in 1998, as he had helped in the killing of the Wizarding World's greatest enemy, Lord Voldemort.

Hermione Granger was always annoyed by those less intelligent than herself. She began school in 1991 and befriended Harry and Ron, always irritated with their lack of enthusiasm for school. It came as a shock not only to her closest friends, but also to herself, when after aiding in the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort in early May 1998, she began dating Ron; nonetheless, she could not have been happier.

In the year following the death of the Dark Lord, the three friends grew tremendously. They had endured endless and extreme hardships, but the peace they brought to the Wizarding community was incomparable to anything in history.

It was in the late summer of 1999 that everything seemed to reach a new normal. Harry had begun dating Ron's sister, an undeniably fiery redhead named Ginny, and Ron and Hermione had realized their own love for one another after years of playing cat-and-mouse. The last of the well-known Death Eaters had been apprehended; Voldemort's servants were no more.

And it was at the same moment that the three friends each enjoyed a thought that would change their lives.

Harry was walking with Ginny toward their new home, talking with her and fully enjoying every second of being with her. Ron and Hermione had slyly retreated to Ron's childhood bedroom in his family home, the Burrow. The respective couples shared an incredibly powerful, emotional connection, and later that night, between the deep breaths, heavy gasps, and strained moans, they each realized something more than their immediate pleasures. They each had a thought: an irrefutable, intense, and wholly meaningful thought.

Hermione's mind raced in repeating iterations of, _I love this man, and I'll be with him forever_. _He is mine, and I'm his._ When she relaxed into sleep, her thoughts translated into dreams, and she spent a calm night thinking only of her future with Ron.

Ron's thoughts were more focused, but unsurprisingly nondescript. _This can't wait any longer. Tomorrow, I'm asking the Grangers._

Harry Potter kissed his beloved Ginny tenderly and thought for the last time before drifting off to sleep, after countless repetitions of thinking the same throughout the night, _One day, I'll marry this girl_.

None of them were wrong. In fact, none of them had ever been more right about anything in their lives.

And for Hermione, that was saying something.


	2. 1999 - Part 2

"I almost said it last night."

Harry and Ron rounded the last curve of Ottery St. Catchpole's largest pond, a sure sign that their long-standing morning jog through their village was near its end. It wasn't disappointing for either of them: their first words to one another when they first met that morning were, "It's cold, isn't it?" and "Damn cold, even for Christmas Eve."

Harry looked to his friend with a smirk. "I'm sure that would make for a great story. You know, that time you proposed to Hermione on December twenty-third."

"Shut up, Harry! You know how nervous I am about this!"

Harry hastily brought his palm up to tap Ron's shoulder. "Of course, I do, Ron. You have no reason to fret. You know she'll say yes."

Ron sighed deeply. "I know. I'm still nervous. Or… what's the word? Anxious, I'm anxious."

Harry and Ginny's house came into view as Harry's legs began to give out. _Just a few more seconds!_

Harry looked to Ron. "I'll be at the Burrow tonight, and you'll do fine. But if you need a pep-talk for your proposal, just say the word. I'm here for you man."

They stopped in front of Harry's porch. Ron looked down to Harry and said in a relaxed tone, "Thank you, mate."

Harry nodded and felt a bead of icy sweat drip from his nose. "I have complete faith that she will say yes." Harry's faith was, of course, rightly placed. He lowered his voice to say, "Just think of all the sex you're going to have tonight!"

Harry began to retreat up his porch. Ron smiled and looked back at him. "And I've told you how good it is, too!"

Harry pondered for a moment, and then laughed as he ran toward his front door and yelled, "Trust me, sex with Ginny has got to be just as good, if not better!"

Ron, slightly disgusted, turned the other way to run toward the Burrow. "Fuck you, Harry!"

They both laughed to themselves as Harry entered through and then shut his front door. Behind him, he heard Ginny's voice. "Sex with Ginny is good, is it?"

Harry smiled and turned to his girlfriend. "Care to prove me right?" He winked at her.

Ginny couldn't help but smile back at him. The morning took a quick turn for the warmer.


End file.
